How Writing Blogs Changes Our Relation With Chess
Hello, readers!
Today's post will, once again, focus on the magic of writing and reading chess blogs! And why did I decide to write about it? Well, it is because we have just finished another successful season of the most prestigious blogging competition on Chess.com: I'm talking about BlogChamps!
If you're not sure what the hell this is, I recommend clicking on the image below to read the article posted in January, in which I provide more information and share my experience of running Season 7 of this event.
So, to avoid repeating myself, I thought it would be better to discuss how writing and reading blogs have changed my perspective on chess, my relationship with the game, and, of course, my ability to express myself in different situations, even those not related to the 64 squares. You can be sure this transformation will happen, or has happened, to you, too.
Therefore, the idea is to share stories about how the season went and how the participants and judges felt. Hopefully, if you are not one of us yet, we can convince you that becoming not just a chess player, but also a writer, is a good idea! Let's get started!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. The Purpose Of Blogging
2. BlogChamps Season 8
3. Thoughts Of The Participants
4. Thoughts Of The Judges
5. Some Of The Best Blogs
6. Conclusion. And What Is Next?
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1. The Purpose Of Blogging
First, I would like to explain why I think blogging about chess is so enriching. It all started when a friend of mine who doesn't play chess randomly asked me why I like the game so much. I don't remember my exact answer (I was busy playing), but the question stuck in my head, and I felt like I had to understand it properly.
For days, I worked on organizing my thoughts, questioning whether I was just wasting time playing it. To help me visualize them better, I wrote a text explaining everything, which later became my very first blog post on Chess.com!
I apologize in advance for the poor quality compared to recent posts, but I hope you enjoy reading it if you are curious!
In any case, that alone does not explain why I continued to write. The main reason is that I discovered blogging could change how I see and relate to chess completely. It helped me understand more about its rich history, famous figures, and interesting stories. It also increased my knowledge of the game, which directly affected my rating.
Furthermore, doing so will exponentially increase your inner passion for the sport. Chess is full of hidden gems that you would never discover if you always thought of it as just a game with 64 squares and 32 pieces. So, if you have never done it, I recommend giving yourself the gift of writing.
Don't worry if you think it will not be good enough. As with any other activity, we learn by doing and receiving feedback. The first post I published is proof that people can improve over time.
And to broaden your horizons even further, it is essential to read other people's work. I was shocked to connect with many bloggers. Understanding how they see the game has certainly changed my perspective.
By doing it, we dive into the author’s mind, generate mutual benefit, and have a real exchange of experiences. I hope I had as positive an impact on them as they did on me.
Other advantages of writing and reading, regardless of the topic, are that they enhance your reasoning, logical thinking, and clarity of ideas. If you want to improve your skills while also having fun and reading the top chess blogs this platform has to offer, there is no better option than joining our club! By the way, how was last season?
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2. BlogChamps Season 8
Season 8 was a huge success, perhaps the best in the club's history! A record 76 different users took part, posting the best blogs they could. In total, there were 101 submissions across both qualifiers' weeks.
By comparison, Season 7, which had already been amazing in terms of participation, had 56 users and 76 submissions. This represents growth of around 35%! Everything was only possible thanks to the engagement of old and new members in the competition, and their support in helping the staff to run it smoothly.
It was extremely hard, and sometimes even painful, to choose only 16 of them to qualify for the knockouts, as many awesome entries had to be left out. To reduce the workload, the six judges were divided into two groups of three, each of which made the selection each week.
What amazed me the most was seeing users such as @squirtle, @AaravRoy_25, @Chesser1492, and @outwittedyou showing considerable improvement from one week to the next. This is evidence that they took our advice on board and used it to their advantage instead of becoming demotivated. Well done!
Then, the race for the highly sought-after Zachary Isaac Snow II Trophy began. Eliminating half the participants every round was very difficult. This is not only because we feel that they all deserve to progress, but also because what makes one blog 'better' than another is often a matter of personal taste that cannot even be explained in words.
Anyway, decisions must be made. After four intense yet friendly rounds, filled with apprehension and positive energy, the final bracket is as follows:
The end of a season always brings mixed emotions. I am sad that it is over, but happy that it happened. I am also relieved, because the exhaustion made me unsure if I could take one more round. And of course, I am excited for the upcoming ones!
Obviously, my sincere congratulations go to everyone who joined, but in particular to the season's medalists.
Gold: @RookMindset
Silver: @PokeGirl93
Bronze: @ChocoCaramelPawn & @emateu26
As a blogger, I think one of the best collateral effects was that I could draw inspiration from many ideas that were later used in my posts. Good examples are the recent articles about Blind Chess and Moments When Chess Changed My Life. So even if you only read my blog, you should thank this competition for the content it generates.
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3. Thoughts Of The Participants
"Of course, you'll say it's nice and cool, Vanessa. After all, you’re the owner and coordinator. Why should I believe you?"
Good question, my dear, imaginary, skeptical reader! In this section, we will find out what some of the participants and spectators thought about it. Let's see how they describe their feelings and opinions regarding the competition atmosphere.
@ChocoCaramelPawn
Our bronze medalist, future responsible for coordinating and making announcements next season, emphasized not only the improvement of his blogs, but also how they connected him with amazing and different people.
BlogChamps was the warmest and most supportive competition I ever had. It was really nice to earn a 3rd place, and I got new friends along the way!
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@squirtle
My favorite Pokémon starter returned after competing in its second season. Despite receiving a low score in Week 1, he didn't get upset and demonstrated remarkable improvement, advancing to the quarterfinals with the help of the judges’ feedback.
Personally, I really liked participating in BlogChamps because it helped me become a better blogger and I found new people and new friends.
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@DocSimooo
Simone participated and made it to the knockouts in the last two seasons. His blogs are very well-written and demonstrate notable research, which is even more impressive considering he is not a native English speaker.
BlogChamps is the best chess club on Chess.com together with its twin The Blogger Awards. There, you have the opportunity to write about your great passion and to learn a lot by reading the experiences of others. We are growing both in number and quality because the atmosphere is of mutual support. In addition to playing better, I am learning much more.
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@Alina_Bakhtina_24
Alina also made it to the knockout stages both times she participated. She provides us with great blogs, but also encourages and praises all her competitors, which contributes to the friendly atmosphere.
BlogChamps is not just a blogging competition, but a real arena of ideas, where creativity and courage lead to victory! I am incredibly happy to have been a part of this amazing season. This experience will stay with me forever.
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@nova-stone
Despite not competing, Nova writes impressive-quality blogs daily and is perhaps our most engaged spectator! I thought it would be interesting to share their perspective here.
What makes a group like BlogChamps stand out is that the participants put the extra effort in to make their work better. There's never a dull moment, even if you abstain from competing. I made some great connections along the way. It's insane that five months ago I thought that it wouldn't be the right fit for me!
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Now it's time to find out what happens backstage. Let's hear from the judges.
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4. Thoughts Of The Judges
To have a great and fair competition, we need not only outstanding bloggers but also people to judge them and decide the winners in each round. Of course, it should all be done in good fun and with respect. The goal is to be constructive and supportive in order to help everyone improve.
The team of elite bloggers chosen to judge Season 8 included @AstroTheoretical_Physics, @JustGettingThisOffMyChess, @KevinSmithIdiot, @nbrasington, and @NMChessToImpress. Together, we were tasked with choosing the best blogs from so many marvelous entries.
As you might expect, we don't allow just anyone to be a judge. To ensure that only qualified individuals are selected, our primary criterion is that they must be either a Top Blogger or a winner from a previous season.
And how did they feel about doing it? Despite the struggles, they all enjoyed the challenge. Below, you will find some of their testimonials about the season and the participants' performance.
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@AstroTheoretical_Physics
A Top Blogger and runner-up in Season 5, Astro was judging for the first time. He was impressed by the high level of engagement and quality of the posted blogs.
Proof that the chess community is thriving and writing. This season wasn't just a competition; it was a masterclass.
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@JustGettingThisOffMyChess
Andrew, the winner of the previous season, who was judging for the first time, was very satisfied with the competitors’ efforts and results. Reading more than 100 texts in three months is certainly not easy, but it was worth it to discover many great bloggers!
Competing in Season 7 was stressful and exhausting, but ultimately rewarding. Judging in Season 8 brought me the exact same feelings! The participants need to know just how great they are. There is one winner per season, but I've definitely became a fan of so many more.
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@KevinSmithIdiot
Kevin, the Season 6 winner, was judging for the second time and also generously offered his thoughts. He noted a significant overall improvement and was impressed by the record number of participants.
Whew, that’s a lot of people, over fifty only in Week 1. I was pleased to see more folks creating a Table of Contents (ToC) that offered links. As usual, I am finding that if the writer has a clear emotional connection to their topic, they are more likely to come out on top. That and original topics, or a totally different approach to a standard topic.
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5. Some Of The Best Blogs
The last section will showcase some of the best blogs from this season. Obviously, I will have to leave many out, but I have selected a few of my favorites and kindly ask that you give them a chance. You won't regret it!
They are listed in alphabetical order by username, not in order of preference. Feel free to click on the ones that catch your eye!
1) @2000Knights - The Uncrowned Champions of Chess
This amazing post discusses players who came very close to winning the world championship crown but, for various reasons, did not achieve the highest honor in chess. It is a painful fate, but still one that deserves high recognition!
2) @Alina_Bakhtina_24 - Napoleon Bonaparte: A great strategist on the battlefield and on the chessboard
One of the best blogs of the season! It's a journey through history where you can learn more about Napoleon Bonaparte and his relationship with chess. Being a chess player may have also influenced some of his war strategies.
3) @ChocoCaramelPawn - Make your own chess variant! | Full guide for beginners
This fun guide may help you create your own chess variant. Here, Choco will teach you everything you need to know about this world and how you can use your creativity to become the next Bobby Fischer and revolutionize the game.
4) @DocSimooo - The mathematical and musical harmony of chess
Simone always finds unique topics and conducts amazing research, revealing hidden connections between chess, mathematics, and music. These three subjects have more in common than you might initially think, and he demonstrated this in a very brilliant and engaging way.
5) @emateu26 - Andorra Chess – Menorca: Competing in the Crown Jewel of Spanish Opens
Top Blogger Esteve Mateu regularly writes about chess in the small country of Andorra. Here, he shares the team's performance in the Menorca Open and some interesting behind-the-scenes stories. The Pyrenean ibex may be extinct, but chess is certainly alive there.
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6) @JugadaBrillante – Who Wants to Be a Chessllionaire?
Do you think it's impossible to become a millionaire by playing chess? You might be right. In the blogging world, though, you can test your knowledge with this fun quiz game and try to earn some virtual money. Good luck!
7) @PokeGirl93 – A Chess Saga In The Land Of Soccer
Leticia recounted the entire history of chess in her home country of Brazil. She covered everything from its beginnings in the late 1800s to the first national championships, the best players, and the most remarkable achievements. A superb blog about my favorite country!
8) @RookMindset - Can You Tell if You're Playing a Bot?
Have you ever heard of the Turing Test, where participants must determine whether they are talking to a person or a robot? The author used the same concept and applied it to chess. The results were interesting and are presented here.
9) @squirtle - If You Can't Win, Just Draw! The Scandinavian Defense for Black
Blogs about openings don't always have to be boring and full of complicated concepts. Squirtle challenges this notion by teaching the Scandinavian Defense in an engaging, interactive way. He recounts the curious history of this line and illustrates its main ideas.
10) @WinT0L0ss - The Quantum Chess Paradox
This article will teach you more about the amazing world of quantum chess, which I consider to be the most interesting topic of the season. Here, the logical, deterministic concepts of traditional chess are confronted with probabilities and uncertainty.
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6. Conclusion. And What Is Next?
Thank you for reading this special blog post. I apologize if it seemed like mere club promotion, but the intention was much deeper than that. If you don't write regularly and have never had the right encouragement to do so, I hope I have convinced you that now might be a good time to start. Rest assured, we can provide the support you need!
There are no extraordinary next steps. Our goal is to continue growing and making each season better than the last. And wow! This will be an incredibly difficult task, but perhaps you can help us. Season 9 registration is open, and the contest starts next month. I am already excited for it!
Right now, the recruitment process is ongoing, and @squirtle has done a great job so far, discovering many hidden talents that I am sure will do great. But even if you are not competitive, know that participation is optional. Everyone is welcome to join, watch, and read the work of some of the best bloggers on Chess.com.
After all, BlogChamps is about much more than winning an imaginary trophy. Our mission is to inspire chess players to write and share their experiences, knowledge, and stories. We want them to teach and learn from others who share the same hobby. Feel welcome to join us!
And of course, if you are an attentive reader, you may discover the answers to questions you have always wondered about. 
Hope you enjoyed! See you again on June 30!
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Thanks again to @ChocoCaramelPawn for the great thumbnail! I highly recommend him if you need one!
